UPDATE: Reviews section refreshed, redesigned, searchable: Go take a look
The 2035 ban (formerly 2030) did a couple of things. It signalled to consumers that one way or the other the move to EVs was happening whether they liked it or not.
Did it? I don't know anybody who pays any attention to government targets. They announce them all the time and never stick to them. As I say, I don't think it signalled any more than an expectation from the government that this would happen anyway. I know some people tried to create some confected anger for clicks about "them coming for our cars". But I don't know any normal person who paid any attention to it. Some bought ICE cars some bought EVs but you'd have to be pretty daft to by an EV if you didn't want one just because some future government might ban ICE car sales in 2035. Still, there's nowt as queer as folk so maybe you're right.
Without the mandate the take-up of EVs would have been much slower.
Would it? You may be right but I've not seen any evidence to back that up. Take-up of EVs seems to have been driven more by tax breaks for company and fleet buyers along with various salary sacrifice schemes as far as I can tell.
But I don't know any normal person who paid any attention to it. Some bought ICE cars some bought EVs but you'd have to be pretty daft to by an EV if you didn't want one just because some future government might ban ICE car sales in 2035
You need to hang out (in real life or online) with thicker people. The number of people I saw who's lack of reading comprehension combined with their desire to make being outraged their personality left them throthing at the mouth that their ICE car or van would be either illegal or worthless on Jan 1st 2030 (or 35) was worryingly high.
Take-up of EVs seems to have been driven more by tax breaks for company and fleet buyers
Well again that's another example of govt policy driving the change. There are lots of different aspects to the switch but govt policy and action was critical to it and I reckon its self-evident that the switch to EVs would not have happened as quickly (or at all) if govts simply left it to the markets and consumer choice. Transitions on this scale don't happen by accident. Even now it's still not certain the switch will be 100%. Not really sure how they're going to solve the on-street charging problem?
And lets not forget that even with the switch to EVs it's still not certain that means a massive cut in carbon emissions given much of the electricity is still generated by fossil fuels. Obviously that's changing rapidly but so is the increase in energy consumption from data centres etc. I'm not even sure switching to EVs will be a major contributor to reducing emissions, I wouldn't be surprised if carbon emissions are still rising even once the transition is complete.
But I don't know any normal person who paid any attention to it.
The legislation is more a signal for manufacturers than buyers. Without it manufacturers would be slower to get electric vehicles to market... they'd lean more heavily on extending the life of their petrol and diesel models (and developing new ones). There are other ways that government encourages take up... as you've identified.
The point is that you can't leave it for manufacturers to sort supply side. You can't leave it for consumers to sort supply side. You need government and intergovernment bodies to take the lead.
This doesn't absolve individuals when it comes to our own choices and actions though.
This doesn't absolve individuals when it comes to our own choices and actions though.
Absolve them from what? Buying an EV shouldn't be a moral or ethical issue. Trying to guilt-trip people into changing their behaviour doesn't work, and probably results in the opposite by driving them into the arms of climate-denying populists. Turning carbon emissions into a morality issue and loading the responsibility onto individuals provides a convenient excuse for those with the power to do something to do nothing.
Perhaps it's not one or the other, but both.
Think of it this way... if you forced e-vehicles on the public through legislation and changing the cost balance, with no effort to get e-vehicles accepted as the "right" choice... what kind of backlash would you get then? You need people to want e-vehicles as part of the electrification of our power consumption... but you are right that people wanting them isn't enough... you have to sort the cost... you have to push manufacturers in the right direction... you have to sort the infrastructure... and that comes from government action, not end users wanting or choosing to do the right thing.
The number of people I saw who's lack of reading comprehension combined with their desire to make being outraged their personality left them throthing at the mouth that their ICE car or van would be either illegal or worthless on Jan 1st 2030 (or 35) was worryingly high.
MiL still believes this. Daily Mail reader, natch.
We also need to get people out of cars. My neighbours went electric because they were spending £200 a month on diesel but the issue isn't what they're driving it's their lifestyle. The kids don't walk anywhere, the mother is getting increasingly overweight, you only see her walking to the car and she now struggles to get in and out of it. They're still consuming vast amounts of energy. I know a neighbour of one of my customers who drives to the local Scotmid to buy a Costa coffee and now the kids are on holiday drives to Macdonald's to get their lunch. She doesn't appear to work but at least it's an electric mini.
Wondering what our summer will look like this year right now, and listening to the air con unit downstairs cycling on and off because it’s so cold outside. We’ll probably hit 50!
We also need to get people out of cars. My neighbours went electric because they were spending £200 a month on diesel but the issue isn't what they're driving it's their lifestyle. The kids don't walk anywhere, the mother is getting increasingly overweight, you only see her walking to the car and she now struggles to get in and out of it. They're still consuming vast amounts of energy. I know a neighbour of one of my customers who drives to the local Scotmid to buy a Costa coffee and now the kids are on holiday drives to Macdonald's to get their lunch. She doesn't appear to work but at least it's an electric mini.
Amen to that!
It's shocking how utterly lazy people are and how wedded to their cars they are even for outrageously short journeys with very little luggage. We also have to remember public transport generally sucks. Unreliable, expensive and slow. Cycle facilities are disjointed and many drivers are ****.
I drive more than I'd like out of work necessity / lack of acceptably good other options.
My kids ride and cycle most places (or use public transport).
My 17 year old chose help with a fancy road bike over help buying a car.
I'm eyeing up an EV to reduce my environmental footprint from being in that situation. The costs of the diesel don't bother me in the slightest. It's economical, cheap to insure and comfy it's the dirty stuff it's hoofing out of the back end.
